Continuous capping-machine.



N0. 652,406. Y Patented .lune 26, |900. F. W. SMITH.

CUNTNUQUS CAPPING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 13, 1898.) (No'ldodel.) 2 Sheets-Sheei l.

ma cams PETERS co., PHoTcxLHo., wAsHlNcrcN. b. c.

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Nrrnn Tatrasv PATENT FFICI.

FRANK IV. SMITH, OI PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK O. CONANT, OF SAME PLACE.

CONTINUOUS CAPPING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent N0. 652,406, dated June, 26, 1900.V Application filed August 13, 1898. Serial No. 688,497. (No model.) I

T0 (all 1071/0711/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. SMTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a certain new and useful Continuous Capping-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention which will enableothers skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to capping-machines or machines for soldering caps upon the cans,

in which are packed hermetically-sealed goods. It consists of means whereby continuity of the soldering' processie insured, a device for'applying the acid to the cap of the cans, a device for feedingthe solder, and other novel features which will appear in the following description, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the machine.` Fig. 2 is a detail in elevation of the locking mechanism; Fig. 3, a top plan of the same; Fig. 4, the aciding device in transverse vertical section; Fig. 5, a detail of a part of the tube of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail of the` lower part of such tube. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the capping-iron and section of the casing. Fig. 8 showson the left'ofV the line y y a front elevation of the machine, while upon the right of said line y y it shows a rear view of the machine. Fig. 9 is a detail in top plan ofthe solder-feeding mechanism. Fig. l0 is a transverse vertical section of a tray and part of the operating mechanism; Fig. ll, a section of the frame and slide on the lineof Fig. 8.

The frame A of the machine is of the ordinary construction, being provided at the top with a frame consistingof the uprights or standards A A'. At the front and back of the frame are placed the shafts a d', respectively. Within the frame these shafts are provided at either end with the wheels b I). The peripheries of these wheels are flattened for like distancesat regular intervals, and in the centerof the flattened portion is placed a slot, as shown in Fig. l. The wheels b b upon either side of the machine are connected by means of an endless chain or belt c. To

the connect-ions of the respective links of these chains are attached the trays d d, be-

-trays rest and are centered upon the ilattened portions of thev wheels b b. The sides of the frame A A are provided with ledges a a2. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8.) The .upper surface of these ledges should be in the same plane with the upper surface of the wheels b b. A similar ledge b2 is placed on the inner side of the legs of the frame A A,

A(see Fig. 1,) the upper surface of these ledges 4h2 being in a horizontal plane distant :from the lower surface of the wheels b b equal to the combined thickness of the chain and the trays. `The shaft a is provided between the wheels b b with the gear h. (See Fig. l.) 4

Mid way between the shafts a a is placed the shaft 7c. This shaft carries outside the frame at either end the cam-st' t' (see Figs. l and 8) and also at the left of the machine the gear g, the gear g matching with the pinion f, placed upon a shaftc, located between the shaft k and a. The shaft 7c also carries near the middle of the frame the disk and lcam Zand m. (See Figs. 2, 3, and 8.) The cam is provided upon its side near the circumference with the pin a, (see Fig. 2,) while the disk Zhas a semicircular depression in its periphery. The point or center from which said semicircular depression is described is in the same line with the center of the shaft 7c and the center of the pin n. The vcam and disk m and Z are'connected so that they rotate together. Upon the shaft o, located upon the frame of the machine between the shaft 7c and the shaft a', is placed the disk p, which is provided at regular intervals with the slots q q. Connected with the wheel p and on the same shaft is the gear r, (see Figs. l, 2, and 3,) which gear r matches with the gear h on the shaft d. At either end of the machine and outside the frame are placed in suitable bearings s s the ,rods t t, terminating at the bottom in a disk u. The rods are so placed that the disks u u. rest upon the cams i t'. (See Figs. 1 and 8.)

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, tures or openings 6 6.

- tube.

'2 salme The upper ends of the rods t t may be provided with shoulders or, as I prefer, as adjustability is thus secured, may be threaded and provided with nuts fu zi, upon which rest the ears w w, which are fixed to the movable frame a, which slides upon the uprights A A'. (See Figs. 1 and 11.)

The trays d d, as is apparent, ext-end from side to side of the machine. The surfaces of these trays are provided at the side with one or several pairs of parallel flanges or steps F, as seen in Fig. 1. The devices for applying the acid and solder and the toolsemployed are the same in number as the number of cams upon each of the trays d d.

The frame A' has secured to its front brackets C, which are provided with the bar 52, havinga horizontal slot, to which are connected, by means of bolts,the reservoirs 1 1. (See Figs. 1, 4, and S.) The reservoir is preferably of the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 4. At its lowest point it is provided with a tube 2, which extends a slight distance above and a somewhat-greater distance below the walls of the reservoir. Within this tube is placed the tube 3, (seeFig. 4,)which is of sufficient diameter to permit it to slide within the tube 2, the lower end of which is rendered tight by means ofthe stuing-box 4. Near the bottom of the reservoir the tubes 2 and 3 are perforated by apertures of substantially the same size passing through each, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and so placed that they may register. The lower end of the tube 3 terminates in a bulb 5. (See Fig. 4.) The bottom of this bulb curves upward and is provided at its edges with aper- The outside of the bulb may be provided (and I prefer so to construct it) with an annular covering of felt 7 7, which is secured to the bulb by the ring 8. Slightly below the stuffing-box 4-the walls of the inner tube 3 are contracted, so as to permit the passage of liquid to such an amount as will only permit it to drop into the bulb 5, and the tube 3 below this point of contraction is perforated, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, by an aperture 42, passing from side to side of the Around the upper end of the tube 2 isvplaced the sleeve 9. This sleeve extends to the upper edge of the aperture 10 and has at the upper end the nut 11. The tube 3 is supported by the bracket D, which is secured to the movable frame e.

Upon the rear of the frame A' is placed the bifurcated bracket 12, which, at the lower end of its lower arm or fork,holds the curved tube 13. The distance of the lower end of this tube from the surface of the trays d d should be about equal to the height of the can to be operated on. The other fork or arm of the bracket 12 is an arm which extends horizontally above the upper end of the tube 13. These arms are provided with the shaft 14, which carries at regular intervals the pulleys 15, which are located so that the periphery thereofv is just above the upper end of the tube 13. The outer ends ofthe same arms supporta shaft 16 in suitable bearings and carry at regular intervals the pulley 17,10- cated, as are the pulleys 15, above the upper end of the tube 13'. (See Fig. 9.) The bearings of the shaft 16 are slotted, as shown in Fig. l, and provided with coil-springs on the rear of the shaft 16. The shaft 14, at one end outside the frame of the machine, is provided with a ratchet-wheel 1S. ln contact with this ratchet-wheel is the pawl19, the latter being kept in contact with the pawl by means of the spring 20 and the pin 21. (See Figs. 1 and 9.) The pawl 19 is suspended from the bracket 20', which is ad justably secured to the rod t. Above the brackets 12 are the two brackets B, which are bolted to either side of the frame A' of the machine. These brackets have at the upper end the shaft 22, which carries at regular intervals the spools 23, the center of the spools being in the same horizontal planes as the centers of the respective tubes 3 and 13.

In the top of the frame z is placed a slot extending nearly from side to side of the frame or uprights A' A', in which are placed at regular intervals the tubes 1' 1'. At the upper end of these tubes they are provided with the gears 3', which intermatch with each other, that upon the side of the machine, (upon the left, as shown in Fig. 3,) intermatching with a similar gear 4' upon the top of the shaft 5', (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8,) which has at its lower end the beveled gear 6', which matches with the beveled gear 7 upon the shaft 7c. Within each of the tubes 1' 1' are placed the rods or wires 12' 12', surmounted by a ball or weight 25. The wire is somewhat longer than the combined length of the tube 1' and iron 2'.

Secured within the frame A' A', beneath the tubes 1 1', are the housings or casings 8'. (See Fig. 7.) These casings are placed at a distance above the tops of the trays d d slightly greater than the top of the can to be operated on. They are provided at the front with a pipe 9', through which fuel, either gaseous or liquid, may be introduced, the pipe having within each casing an aperture or burner 10', through which the ame of the fuel may be directed upon the iron 2'.

When it is desired to operate upon cans ofy a larger or smaller size than that for which the machine is arranged, the gears 3', rotating the soldering-tools, may be removed and larger or smaller gears substituted, thus increasing or diminishing, as the case may be, the distances between the centers of the tools, so that the distances between the center of the adjacent tools shall be the same as the distance between the centers of the topsiof the adjacent cans which are to be operated on. The change can be more readily made by providing several frames a, iitted with gears and tools adapted for use on various sizes ofv cans. In such case when it` is desired to operate uponcans of a diferent size the frame z, with its gears and tools, is removed, and the IOO IIO

frame a, carrying tools so separated as to iit the tops of the cans to be operated upon, substituted. Where separate frames a are thus provided adapted for the various sizes of cans, apertures at regular intervals may be made in the frame for the reception of the tubes 1' 1' instead of providing a longitudinal slot, as above described. When a change in the relative position of the tools is made by either method, a like change should be made in thelleys 15 and 17 upon their shafts.

The following is the operation of the machine: The acid and solder feeding devices and the soldering-tools being arranged so that Vthey will center upon the respective cans to be operated on, the spools are filled with wiresolder, the free ends being conducted between the pulleys 15 and 17 and through the tube 13, so they will be in contact with the respective irons when the wires descend. The reservoir 1 being filled with acid, the apertures 10 in the tubes 2 and 3 are reduced by means of the thumb-screw 11 to such size that the flow of liquid through the tube 3 will be just sufficient to allow drops of the liquid acid to descend into the bulb 5 at such intervals as to keep the felt 'ring saturated with the acid, observation being permitted through the opening 42. The fuel is now admitted through the tube 9 and ignited at the burners 10. The cans are placed or automatically fed upon the front tray CZ, occupying, according to their size, the bottom of the tray or a pair of the anges, the effect of the flanges being to center the cans upon the tray. The ma- Y chine is set in motion by power applied to the pulley e upon the shaft 7d, causing the shaft 7c to revolve, which rotates the cam m and disk 1, whereby the pin n in the slot q of the disk p causes the latter to revolve for a portion of its circumference equal to the distance between the slots q q, the circular depression in the periphery of the disk Z permitting the disk p to pass by. By this motion of the disk p the shaft o is rotated to an equal degree, which, through the gear r, causes an equal rotation of the wheels b b, thus advancing the chains c c to such an extent that the front row of cans resting upon the front tray is advanced to sufficient distance to place the centers of the cans under the centers of the respective tubes 3 3. At the same time the rotation of the shaft 71; causes the frame .e to descend, the disk u resting upon the periphery of the cams it, the felt ring saturated with the acid supplying the required amount of acid to the edges of the caps. 1n the meantime the next tray which has mounted to a horizontal position is filled with cans as before, and the rotation of the cams t' having raised the frame e, together with the acid devices and tools,coutinnous revolution ofthe shaft 7c causes the cams t' il to permit the frame e to descend again, and the same intermittent motion of the disk p advances the tray, so that that which has just been filled is advanced beneath the acid devices, when continuous depression of the cam again causes the application of the acid devices to the caps of the rows of cans just advanced. 'llhe operation is again repeated, when the first row of cans will be advanced beneath the soldering-tool. The solder-wires are now drawn down from the spools and placed between the respective pulleys 15 and 17 and inserted in the tube 13, so that the ends of the wires are just about at the edges of the caps of thecans. Continuous revolution of the cams now causes the frame z to descend as before, carrying with it the acid devices and the rotating heated irons and a sufficient amount of wire to close the seam at the edges of the caps. The frame e again rising lifts the iron from the surface of the can, while the rod. 12 remains for a longer period of time until the cams z' t' have elevated the frame to the highest point, when the ball or weight 25 is raised, carrying with it the wire. The pressure of the wire is thus retained upon the top of the cans for a longer period in order to-enable the solder to cool before the caps may have been lifted from pressure from within. The lifting movement of the frame also carries upward by and past the ratchet 18 the pawl 19 and spring 20. The operation is thus continued, a new row of cans being placed upon the front tray and a row being discharged from the rear tray with each intermittent motion of the belt c. Means of course should IOO be applied to automatically iill the front tray and receive and convey away the soldered cans as they are discharged from the machine. The cans are allowed to remain upon the trays after being soldered, while three other rows of cans are soldered. Opportunity is thus afforded for the cans to cool thoroughly and for the vents to be stopped by an operative standing at the rear of the machine.

The cams fr' t should be of such shape as to allow the iron to remain in contact with the cap just long enough to thoroughlyv spread the solder and yet not overheat the can to the injury of its contents. The length of time the irons remain in contact with the cans is controlled by adjustment of the rods t t by means of the nuts o e. The greater the distance between the disk s and the ear w the shorter the play ofthe irons on the cans, while if it is desired to lengthen the time of contact the nuts are screwed downward, thus shortening the distance between the ear w and the disk s.

The trays may of course be provided with more than two iianges, as shown in Fig. 1, so that cans of various sizes may be accommodated thereon.

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, IOV

2i' stia-10e What I claim is- 1. A tool for applying acid or other fluids having in combination a reservoir, a tube depending therefrom, a perforation through said tube Within said reservoir, a perforated bulb at the lower end of said tube, said bulb being of a shape adapted to apply the acid or liquid to the desired point or points, substantially as described.

2. A tool for applying acid or other iiuids having in combination a reservoir, a tube dependent therefrom, a perforation through said tube within said reservoir, a perforated bulb at the lower end of said tube and bibulous material surrounding and attached to said bulb and of a shape adapted to apply liquid to the desired point or points, substantially as described.

3. A tool for applying acid or other iiuid, having in combinationa reservoir, a tube dependent therefrom, a perforation through said tube within said reservoir, means for adjusting the size of said perforation, a contraction in said tube below said reservoir, a perforated bulb at the lower end of said tube and bibulous material surrounding or attached to said bulb and of a shape adapted to apply liquid to the desired point or points, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for capping cans an upright frame having secured thereto a reservoir, a tube adapted to slide within the same, an opening in said tube whereby it communicates with the interior of said reservoir, at the lower end of said tube a perforate bulb provided With a ring of bibulous material and means for elevating and depressing said tube, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for capping cans an upright frame having secured thereto a reservoir, a tube adapted to slide within the same, an opening in said tube whereby it commu- -nicates with the interior of said reservoir, a

contraction of said tube below said reservoir, at the lower end of said tube a perforated bulb provided with a ring of bibulous material and means for elevating and depressing said tube, substantially as described.

6. In a capping-machine the combination of an upright frame having attached thereto a reservoir provided with a tube communicating with and sliding within the same, means for regulating the size of the opening communicating with the reservoir, a perforated bulb at the lower end of said tube provided with a ring of bibulous material, a movable frame sliding upon the first-named frame, a connection between said movable frame, and said tube and means for elevating and depressing said movable frame, substantially as described.

7. Inaeapping-machine,the combination of a frame supporting an acid-reservoir and a solder-supply, a movable frame slidin g on the iirst-named frame and having a tube communicating with said reservoir whereby acid magyT be applied to the seam .to be soldered,

having also a soldering-tool with means for rotating the same, and also a device for feeding the solder and means for alternately elevatin g and depressing said last-named frame whereby said acid and said solder are applied to the cans, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for capping cans, a series of trays, means for advancing them intermittently, a frame provided with an acid-reservoir, a tube adapted to slide therein and connected with a movable frame sliding upon said first-named frame and means for raising and depressing said movable frame where; by the contents of said tube are deposited upon the cans placed upon said trays, as they respectively advance, substantially as de= scribed.

9. The combination of a reservoir, a tube `depending fromthe same, a movable tube within the iirst-named tube, both said tubes' Vhaving perforations capable of partially or wholly registering and said movable tube being provided at its lower end with a perforated bulb or point, substantially as described.

10. A tool for applying acid or other fluids having in combination a reservoir and tube depending therefrom, a perforation through said tube within said reservoir, a contraction in said tube below said reservoir and a Vperforated bulb at the end of said tube, said bulb being of a shape adapted to apply said acid or fluid to the desired points, substantially as described.

11. In a mach-ine for capping cans, the combination of an upright frame, a movable frame thereon, the latter supporting the solderingtool with means for rotating the same, a weighted rod through the center of said tube, means for raising and depressing said movable frame and means whereby the time of contact of the tool may be adj usted, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for capping cans, the combination of an upright fra1ne,a movable frame thereon, the latter supporting the solderingtool with means for rotating the same, means for raising and depressing said movable frame and means whereby the time of contact of the tool with the can may be adjusted, substantially as described.

bination of a frame supporting a solder-supply, a movable frame sliding upon said firstlOO IIO

IIS

named frame having a soldering-tool and a device for feeding thev solder, together with means for alternately depressing and elevating said movable frame whereby said soldering tool and said solder are alternately brought in contact With and raised from the cans, substantially as described.

16. The combination of Wheels or pulleys having at regular intervals upon their peripheries planesurfaces and slots in the center of said plane surfaces, an endless chain, the connection of the links thereof being adapted to enter said slots and trays fixed to said connections and adapted to rest upon the plane surfaces of said wheels, substantially as described.

17. The combination of Wheels or pulleys having at regular intervals upon their peripheries plane surfaces and slots in the center of said plane surfaces, an endless chain, the connection of the links thereof being adapted to enter said slots and trays fixed to said connections and adapted to rest upon the plane surfaces of said wheels, together said acid are successively brought in contact with and removed from the cans, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of August, A. D. 1893.

FRANK W. SMITH.

I In presence of- GEO. E. BIRD, M. C. LIBBY. 

